Few can afford expensive filtration systems so they've relied on bottled water, having much of it donated, including last December when the Jacksonville Second Harvest Food Bank trucked in almost 500,000 pounds.

This holiday season, residents can fill up at the brand new water filling station in the Hidden Trails County Park.

It's called Project Grace and residents say, by the grace of God, struggling local residents have easy access to safe, clean drinking water.

"For them to travel to go in town to try and get fresh water, it's impossible and this will be fantastic," said Virginia Keck.

There's no plan or money to bring potable city water out to the far west portion of the county, but residents said they are grateful for a community well that will be open everyday.

"It's an early Christmas present back here," said Steve Keck. "It will be great for all of us."

Flagler County, local cities, civic organizations and individuals raised the just over $61,000 to build the water filling station and by anyone's measure a small price to pay so residents have their basic needs met.